U.S. Returns to El Salvador Looted Mayan Artifacts

The U.S. government returned to El Salvador 18 Maya polychrome ceramic pieces and statuettes that were smuggled out of the Central American country.

The pieces include containers with geometric and animal decorations in black, pink and red, as well as small figurines made of dark or white ceramic.

The items were stolen from a Salvadoran archaeological site and sold on the Internet by a Salvadoran couple now under arrest in their homeland, authorities said.

A joint investigation by U.S. and Salvadoran police enabled authorities to recover 45 objects in all, of which 18 pieces and four bags with ceramic fragments were brought into the United States, while the rest of the items were seized in the Central American country.